1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to pontoon boats and, more particularly, to a marine propulsion system and associated container that can be assembled from a position above the deck surface of a pontoon boat and subsequently supported below the deck surface during operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many different types of pontoon boats are known to those skilled in the art. Some pontoon boats are provided with containers that are supported below the deck surface of the pontoon boat structure. These containers and/or marine propulsion support devices are typically assembled in a manner that requires the container to be attached to an underside of the deck surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,331, which issued to Hagan on Nov. 9, 1993, describes a motor pod for a pontoon boat. The pontoon boat is adapted to be propelled by an outboard motor. The boat has a deck and a pair of longitudinally extending parallel spaced apart pontoons depending from the deck and a means for mounting the outboard motor to the boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,187, which issued to Sohm on Jun. 15, 1999, describes a pontoon boat having a deck disposed over distal, watertight pontoons. Each pontoon comprises an elongated, generally cylindrical shell having a bow end consisting of an eccentric conical section extending upward at an angle out of the water. Splash rails, comprising fins protruding from the pontoon's shell, are disposed along the pontoon's inner and outer surfaces so that they extend substantially from the pontoon's bow end to its stern end.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,969, which issued to Schell-Tomczak et al. on Nov. 12, 2002, describes a boat with a center pontoon and separate motor mounts. A center pontoon for a pontoon boat provides improved performance and an adjustable engine mount. The adjustable engine mount makes it possible to adjust the relative position of an outboard engine relative to the water line of the boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,056, which issued to Schell-Tomczak et al. on Nov. 19, 2002, describes an engine mount. The mount is intended for use with a pontoon boat and makes it possible to adjust the relative position of an outboard engine relative to the water line of the boat. The mount has an elongated, tapered, four-sided body which is attached to the bottom of the hull of the boat by a pair of spaced apart, elongated mounting rails.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,182,033, which issued to Phillips et al. on Feb. 27, 2007, discloses a self-contained marine propulsion system for a pontoon boat. The device is disposed within a container, or pod, that is removably attachable to an undersurface of a deck of a pontoon boat. An engine is contained within the container and connected in torque transmitting relation with the marine propulsion device which can be a sterndrive device or a jet drive device. The marine propulsion system is dirigible, with a portion that is rotatable about a generally vertical steering axis and is supported by the container which is attached to the deck of the pontoon boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,185,599, which issued to Griffiths et al. on Mar. 6, 2007, discloses a jet drive propulsion system for a pontoon boat. A pontoon boat is provided with a jet drive propulsion system in which an impeller is driven by an engine. The jet drive propulsion device is dirigible as a result of the fact that a nozzle of the device is rotatable about a generally vertical steering axis. The jet drive device can be supported below a deck of a pontoon boat and located between two flotation tubes of the pontoon boat. Alternative locations can also be used, such as within the structure of the flotation tubes themselves.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,228,811, which issued to Huff et al. on Jun. 12, 2007, describes a multiply hinged sundeck for a pontoon boat. An engine compartment cover for watercraft incorporates first and second pivots. The cover can be rotated from an adjacent engine compartment in a first direction to a second location to provide a convenient axis to the engine from the stern of the watercraft. Alternately, a portion of the cover can be rotated in the opposite direction on the second pivot to provide access to the engine compartment from the deck of the craft.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.